1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to cushioning systems, materials and methods. The cushioning system of the invention may be used for any comfort-related cushioning application including, but not limited to, mattresses, furniture cushioning, body padding, footwear and packaging. One exemplary embodiment is a portable seat cushion designed to be easily moved from one seating surface to another by the user.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the past, portable seat cushions have commonly been constructed using one or more pieces of foam contained within a plastic or fabric enclosure. These products typically use a low-density foam that, after several hours of operation, provide little or no comfort layer for the user because the foam has compressed too much and will not return to its original shape.
More recently, a novel plastic cushioning material developed by Skydex Technologies, Inc. (Centennial, Colo.) has come into use for footwear and body protective gear. This material and its method of fabrication are disclosed in the following U.S. patents: U.S. Pat. No. 6,098,313 “Shoe sole component and shoe sole component construction method” U.S. Pat. No. 6,029,962 “Shock absorbing component and construction method” U.S. Pat. No. 5,976,451 “Construction method for cushioning component” and U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,804 “Shoe sole component and shoe sole component construction method.”